Avatar The Legend of Da-Seng
by EmberIsland95
Summary: The world is in turmoil, and only the Avatar can defeat the shadowy order behind the chaos. A note before you start: This story is set hundreds of years before the T.V. show, so the world is very different. Well, it will be when it gets going. . P.S. The cover image will be explained in the story.
1. Prologue

AVATAR

THE LEGEND OF DA-SENG

**Prologue**

The cold wind blew in the night as Suyeka looked out over the black waters of the southern ocean. On the moonlit cliff where he was standing, his ebony hair danced like dark flames in the breeze. Deep in thought, his sky blue eyes watched as two turtle seals splashed in the waves.

"They are beautiful creatures," said a soft, elderly female voice from behind him. "Peaceful, too. Have you come here to calm your nerves?"

"I have come here to accept what the spirits have decided," he replied.

"The spirits did not decide that your time would end like this, Avatar. They only decided that it was right to tell you."

"So it is tonight, then?"

"There is no question."

Suyeka sighed deeply.

"You should be glad," the woman said in a cheerful tone. "It was much more of a surprise for me when the rock hit me in the head!"

The old lady laughed for a few moments before spotting that her conversation partner had not moved.

"It may be a joke to you," he began. "But it's not the same. You didn't have a family when you passed over."

"You are wrong. I did have a family. They did not share my blood, but they were family all the same."

The Avatar turned, tears in his eyes.

"Why did they choose to show me that vision? Why would the spirits want to torture me in this way? For two years I have had to keep myself from telling the ones I love that I will die before my time! Why, Avatar Ceba?"

"Listen, Suyeka," she replied, her voice slightly firmer than before. "No one is taken before their time. Remember this, and remember that the spirits told you for a reason. Think, why have you come to this cliff face by the sea? Was it because the spirits showed you in that vision?"

Suyeka nodded.

"And what could have happened if they hadn't shown you?" Ceba continued." You would have been in your house right now, with your wife and daughter. The spirits showed you because they want your family to live."

"So what must I do now?"

"The only thing you can do," said Ceba.

"Wait?"

"Fight!"

"Fight?"

"Yes. Just because you know that death will take you doesn't mean you have to lie down like a tired old man. If you must go, then go kicking and screaming into the night!"

"I will," Suyeka said with a smile. "Thank you, Avatar Ceba."

He placed his hands together and bowed.

"And goodbye."

"Not for long, Avatar Suyeka," she replied, as she began to fade into the wind. "Not for long."

The black-haired man stood for a moment, staring into the space where the old woman had once been. He then sat down cross-legged on the snow, eyes closed, and waited.

* * *

The sound of footsteps on the snow made Suyeka open his eyes. There were no plants, but the snow drifts all around him provided the same amount of cover. And these people knew how to use it.

The Avatar stood up and stared straight ahead, away from the sea.

"I know you have come for me," he said in a calm tone. "I will not make the first move."

There was a long pause, silent except for the sound of the night breeze.

Then from behind one of the snowy hillocks a warrior leapt into the air, blasting a fireball from his hand.

Suyeka jumped to the left just before the flames hit where he had been standing. Whilst in the air, he used his bending to smack the man away with a blast of wind.

Seven more of the soldiers charged forth. Each wore a black hooded cloak and a leather mask of the same colour. Beneath the cloaks were sets of amour crafted from dark leather and metal. This protective gear evidently had little effect on their agility, however, as the troops easily dodged another air blast from Suyeka, who was still floating three metres above the ground.

Two of the assailants pushed themselves into the air using the same technique, and each threw a sharp gust at the Avatar.

Just in time, Suyeka threw up a wall of ice to block their attack. He then broke the wall apart and sent shards hurtling towards the entire group, forcing them to defend themselves instead of assaulting him with all four elements. While they were recovering, he sent a blue fire-slice through the air, aimed at both the air benders and their allies on the ground.

One of them, however, wasn't in the firing line. She summoned a blockade of stone from beneath the snow and fired it at Suyeka. He parted the rock and used one half as a shield to block oncoming lightning and flame blasts from the two fire benders in the group. Then, spinning quickly to gain momentum, he launched the other half at one of the air benders.

She tried to dodge the projectile, but it caught her right flank and she was knocked to the ground, badly injured.

On the ground, the group had fanned out. Three members shot tentacles of water up to Suyeka, freezing them at the tips to impale him.

The Avatar froze the water into a ball around himself and caused the sphere to shatter, sending barbs of ice in all directions. The two fire benders melted the missiles that were heading towards the group before sending the flames up towards their target.

At the same time, the remaining air bender fired a bolt of wind at the Avatar. Suyeka deflected both attacks with air bending and then threw a mix of snow and rock at his attackers.

The water benders pulled apart the snow while the fire benders melted it. The earth bender, then spotting the lumps of stone, slammed them together into three spears and threw them at Suyeka.

The Avatar was focusing on these sharp missiles as he heard the air bender launch another wind bolt. He pushed himself back just in time as the two sets of projectiles crashed together, shattering the force of both and the form of the spears.

Now Suyeka had to quickly dodge again as the fire benders began assaulting him. One fired a continuous stream of lightning while the other bombarded him with rapid bursts of fire.

While he was busy with that, the water benders began following him with ice-tipped snakes of fluid.

Eventually, one of the streams met with the lightning, and now the benders worked together to try to hit him with a double shock.

The earth bender had now brought up a pillar of rock from beneath the snow, and was firing disks of stone towards Suyeka.

The Avatar managed to get clear of the various elemental weapons for a moment and spun around, creating a deflective sphere of air, which knocked the projectiles back towards the cloaked individuals. Several of them were hit with their own missiles.

Something hit Suyeka hard on the back of his neck. The air bender had slipped around behind him. The Avatar fell to the ground.

Four of the group gathered around, each holding their respective elements, ready to strike.

The Avatar was badly wounded; he had fallen on a patch of black ice.

"Nodachi," said one of the water benders. "Finish him."

The fire bender nodded. She increased the size of the blue flames in her hands and brought her arms back.

A blue light shone from Suyeka's eyes that made her pause and the other attackers pull away.

"He's going into the Avatar State!" the air bender cried.

The wounded master of the elements rose from the ground. With him came snow that was quickly converted into ice. It began to creep up his arms. The air around him began to spin into a giant ball, and the ground began to shake. Suyeka took a step forward, his face filled with rage, and a desperate need for survival. As powerful as he looked, however, from the way he walked he was obviously seriously injured.

"What do we do?" asked Nodachi.

"What we were sent here to do," replied the water bender who had ordered her companion before. "If we kill him now, then phase two is cancelled. And we win."

Something inside Suyeka registered what she was saying. All at once the Avatar turned back to his normal self, and collapsed onto the floor.

"Finish it now," he said weakly.

There was an awkward pause as everyone in the group stared in shock.

"Do it!" boomed Suyeka.

One of the fire benders launched a bolt of lightning at the Avatar. Suyeka let out a cry of pain before falling silent.

"Check him," snapped the leader.

The one who had delivered the final blow ran to the Avatar and checked his pulse.

"He's pretty much dead, Falchion," she said. "He's in a coma and fading. No-one can save him now."

"Good. How many did we lose?"

"No fatalities," replied the air bender. "But Dagger, Halberd, Scimitar and Pike are badly hurt."

"Alright," said Falchion.

She walked up to Suyeka's limp body and stared down at it.

"Let's hope Burēdo pays us well for this."

* * *

Naoaka kept her head down as she trudged across the frozen earth. The night breeze had picked up, and now fresh snow had begun to fall. She stabbed the bottom of her spear into the ground and stood up straight. Scanning the horizon, she took a deep sigh.

Nothing.

She sighed again and then turned around.

"Katara!" she yelled.

An older girl dressed in the same blue-grey fur coat stepped forward out of the falling snow.

"Have you found anything?" Naoaka continued.

Katara shook her head.

"What about Bato?"

Another shake of the head.

"Spirits be damned!" Naoaka said under her breath. "Alright, keep looking! He has to be out here somewhere!"

Naoaka took a few more steps before a shout came from her left.

"Hey!" shouted a male voice. "I've found him!"

"Katara!" the younger girl called joyously. "Tonraq's found him, tell the others!"

Naoaka ran towards the sound of the man's voice. She rapidly climbed her way up almost a dozen hillocks, falling several times. She reached the top of one of the drifts and her smile faded. Tonraq was kneeling next to Seyuka's body. Naoaka dropped her spear and ran towards him.

"What's going on?" she asked in a panicky voice. "Is he hurt?"

"Badly," replied Tonraq, not moving his hands from above the Avatar's chest. His torso was laid bear as the young man bent water above it.

"He's been hit by lightning." Tonraq continued. "His heart's practically stopped and he's got a bad burn on his side. Not to mention all the other-"

"Well do something!" Naoaka screamed.

"I'm trying!"

Naoaka looked up from Suyeka and spotted a faded figure in the snow. All sound but the wind seemed to disappear as she squinted to try and make them out.

"Dad?" she whispered.

The Avatar's spirit nodded.

"But, if I can see you, then that means…"

"Yes," he began his voice distant. "I am passing. I knew this day would come."

"Then…then why didn't you tell us?"

"It was to keep you safe. The spirits need you alive. I walked here, knowing my fate, so that it would not be yours, too."

"Why do they want me?"

"Naoaka, the people who did this to me are planning something. Something only the Avatar can stop. You must find the new Avatar before they do."

"But, you are the Avatar. Why couldn't the spirits let you live, you could have stopped them!"

"No, my time has passed. Your time, however, has begun."

"How am I supposed to find the new Avatar? I'm not even a bender!"

"You are as brave, capable and honourable as any bender I have ever known. Remember what I have told you. And trust in yourself."

"You can't leave like this!" she cried, tears rolling down her face. "The village needs you, the world needs you, Mum needs you, I need you!"

"No," Seyuka said quietly, sadness in his eyes. "You don't need me. You only need yourself. You can do it Naoaka, you must believe you can."

"Okay," she said, wiping away the tears.

"That's my girl," he said with a smile. "Remember, I will always be with you. And I will always love you."

"I'm going to miss you Dad."

"I love you, Naoaka," he said, tears in his eyes.

With that he began to disappear with the snow-carrying wind, as the sounds of the world started to come into existence once more.

"Gah!" said Tonraq. "I can't do anything, I'm sorry Naoaka, he's gone."

"I know," she said with closed eyes. "And there's no need to apologize."

Naoaka opened her eyes again with a determined, angry look on her face.

"I'm going to wait for my mother, and then I'm going to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Tonraq asked as Seyuka's daughter got up. "Where are you going?"

"To the Earth Realms," she began, not turning her head. "I'm going to find the Avatar."


	2. Chapter 1: The Traveler

BOOK ONE: SHADOWS

**Chapter 1: The Traveller**

Sonam stared hard at the rotating targets. One side consisted of blank slabs of wood, while on the other there were buckets, attached to the wood at a forty-five degree angle. Welded to the rim of these metal containers were thin needles that stood up straight. On the end of the spikes were small stone balls with a hole in the bottom, allowing them to stay on the needles.

The teenage boy sighed as he readied himself for this test. The devices were scattered around the courtyard at various angles to each other, and were spinning at a ferocious speed.

Sonam took one more sigh, paused, and then shot a ball of wind towards the nearest metal bucket. Time seemed to slow down as the wind smacked the first ball into the pail. The stone object clanged as it hit the bottom, and the air bender pulled his wind to the next device.

Moving his arms so fast they were almost a blur, Sonam channelled the wind from target to target, finishing the task in a few seconds.

He panted for half a minute, thinking about what he had just done. He closed his eyes in an expression of disappointment. Two of the balls lay dropped on the ground.

"Impressive," said an elderly male voice from Sonam's right. "It is evident you have been practising; that's two more targets hit than last week."

"But I still failed."

"Technically, but these things need practice. With time you will be able to complete this trial."

"I've been trying for three months now," said Sonam, turning to face the old man. "Most of the other air benders get this in half that time, Master Garkan. I don't know what I'm doing wrong."

"You have always struggled with exercises concerning accuracy at high speeds, but you have other strengths. Remember when we meditated on Mount Xuě Jiàn three years ago? You were one of the last students to leave! Endurance has always been your speciality, physically and mentally. Most students would have given up by now and accepted this one failure, but you would not leave this trial until it is done. So, why the sudden lack of determination?"

"Well," Sonam sighed. "It's just that all of the other students seem to fail at different things. No one else here is like me. They all seem to like playing airball and gliding out in the sunshine, but I've never liked that stuff. All I've ever liked are quiet things like reading and playing Pai Sho. I mean, I've tried to fit in, over and over, but I can't! It's like I'm some sort of freak."

The young air bender placed his hands on his head and collapsed into a sitting position.

Garkan sighed and walked over to him. He sat down next to the teenage boy and placed his arm round his shoulder.

"Sonam Da-Seng," he began. "You are not a freak. Unless, of course, by a freak, you mean someone who is very special. And uniquely talent-"

"This is the same speech you give everyone who's upset about being a little different. I've heard it before. But I know I'm different, and not just a little. I know there is something wrong with me."

"Listen, you are different, in most ways, from most air benders in the whole world. But you are not wrong in any way. And you have never been so, in all fourteen years of your life. You are a gifted individual. Never take that for granted."

Sonam leapt forward and hugged the elder air bender tightly.

"I won't, Master Garkan, I promise."

The old man smiled and hugged Sonam back.

* * *

The traveller placed her left hand on the rope and pulled her body up another half a metre. The wind blew around her as she climbed up the side of the cliff. The air was cold and bitter against the exposed skin of her arms.

A whooshing sound to her right made her quickly turn her head. She stared out for a moment before a similar sound came from her left.

"So, who are you then?" asked a voice from above her.

She looked up and saw a man standing on the ledge where the hook at the end of her rope was digging into the rock. In his right hand he held a wooden staff.

"I am a traveller," she replied. "I wish to stay at the Northern Air Temple."

"There are plenty of villages down there, so you're obviously not here for just a place to spend the night."

"My business is my own."

"You're not really in a position to argue at the moment," the man chuckled.

"I know you won't do anything. You're a monk; it's pretty obvious from the large arrow on your head."

"That's true enough. But it would be nice to know if you plan to rob this sacred site before you arrive so we can lock away our goods."

"I'm looking for someone," she said with a sigh. "A fourteen year old boy."

"We have a fair few of them," the man said with a smile. "You seem well meaning enough. I'll fetch my Sky Bison and collect you from this ledge in a moment."

The bald man pressed a button on his staff and two cloth wings supported by thin wooden struts extended from it.

"Err…thanks," the climber said, a little taken aback.

"What is your name, by the way?"

"Naoaka," she replied. "My name is Naoaka."

* * *

The Avatar's daughter stared hard at a painting on the wall of one of the temple's many hallways. It depicted a previous Avatar by the name of Rinchen who had lived here. Like all of the Air Monks, he was bald and had a large blue arrow-shaped tattoo on his forehead.

The door to the woman's right opened, and the monk who had taken her from the cliff stepped out.

"They are ready to see you now," he said quietly.

Naoaka followed him back through the door. They entered a large, circular room with eight chairs on the other side. In each sat an elderly monk, every one of them with long, whisker like moustaches and similar style beards.

"So," one of them began. "Monk Assam tells me that you are from the southern water tribe."

"That is correct," said Naoaka. During their ride to the temple, she had told him a few details such as this.

"He also tells me you are looking for a fourteen year old boy. Why is this?"

Naoaka swallowed before answering the question; she knew that what she said next would require some persuasion to be accepted.

"I believe that the Avatar lives in this temple."

"The previous Avatar was born a water bender," one of the elder monks pointed out, his tone slightly patronising. "This generation's Avatar would be an earth bender, and this is the Northern Air Temple."

"Yes, I know where I am."

"What makes you think that the master of the elements resides here?" another of the seated men asked.

"I have a source of information that tells me they have tracked down the Avatar to here."

"This source is?" the same monk asked.

"The Legion of Whispers."

The monks in the room were shocked at this information, and began to talk quietly among themselves.

"The Legion," began the one who had spoken first, "is nothing more than a rumour…Noweka?"

"Naoaka. Now-ak-ah."

"Sorry," he continued. "There are tales of their various shadowy acts from all across the world, but none have been confirmed. Some even say that they were the ones who killed Suyeka."

"They did," Naoaka said quickly. "Indirectly. They hired the Blades to slay the last Avatar. Now they're working with them again to try and kill this one."

"You seem to know an awful lot about them."

"I've been trying to find the same person as them for fourteen years," she replied. "When you're both after the one who can save the world, it helps if you try to...acquire any knowledge they have."

"Why are you searching for him?" asked another of the elders.

"Because I made a promise to my father as he lay dying in the snow at the hand of the Blades."

"Your father was…" the monk continued.

"Yes," she said firmly. "I am Naoaka of the Southern Water Tribe and I am the daughter of Avatar Suyeka."

There was a stunned silence that lasted for a few moments. It was broken by the one who had patronised her.

"You claim that you are Suyeka's child," he began slowly, "but we cannot trust you. If what you say about the Legion is true, then how do we know you are not one of their agents? What if this is just a ploy to kill the Avatar? How can you prove who you are?"

One of the council who had not yet spoken coughed quietly.

"There may be a way," he said.

* * *

The candles flickered in the breeze that entered through the wide doorway of the Sanctuary. The smell of incense hung heavily in the vast room. There was a spiral pattern that began in the centre of the floor. It circled around twice before it reached the edge of this great hall. When it did, the spiral continued as a small ledge that hung to the side of the wall, all the way to the roof. Stood on the spiral pattern were statues, each representing a past Avatar. The further they were from the spiral's starting point on the floor, the more ancient they became. As such, the one at the beginning was all too familiar to Naoaka.

"Give me your hand," instructed one of the elders.

Suyeka's daughter stretched out her left arm.

The monk brought out a small knife and made a cut on her index finger.

Naoaka didn't even flinch.

The old man pressed a small cloth against her hand for a moment. He then walked over to Suyeka's statue and wiped the blood on the Avatar's face.

"Place your hand upon him," the councillor stated blankly.

Naoaka moved towards the stone figure and placed her cut hand on her father's shoulder.

"Close your eyes and repeat after me," said the monk. "Avatar Suyeka, born of the Southern Water Tribe, now passed to the next life, come back to us now and vouch for my claims, if my claims be true."

Naoaka again followed his instructions.

"Now," said the old man, "state what you want him to vouch for."

"Father, please, tell them who I really am. Tell them I'm your daughter. Tell them I'm not lying about the Avatar."

At once the centre of the spiral on the floor lit up pale blue. The light quickly followed the pattern all the way to the roof. The eyes of the first Avatar's statue glowed the same colour as the ledge he was standing on. His eyes were rapidly followed by those of the second. And the third. And so on, all the way back to Suyeka.

When it reached the most recent master of the elements, the stone began to fade away, leaving a ghostly version of Naoaka's father in the Avatar state. He began to speak, though his voice was mixed with those of all his previous incarnations.

"I Avatar Suyeka, born of the Southern Water Tribe, vouch for this individual. She indeed shares my blood, and the claim of her quest is also true. The spirit of the Avatar has spoken."

With that, the stone once again hardened and the glowing of the floor and the statues' eyes disappeared.

The whole room entered a stunned silence that lasted for what seemed like a year.

Wide-eyed in disbelief, Naoaka slowly removed her hand from her parents statue. She took a deep breath and collected herself before turning to face the elder council.

"It seems the Avatar...has spoken." she began, still visibly shaken. "So, how do we find this boy?"

"That should be straightforward enough," said the elder who had instructed her. "All the Avatars have just experienced that surge of spiritual energy. All of them."


	3. Chapter 2: The Boy Away From Home

**Chapter 2: The Boy Away From Home**

Sonam breathed heavily as he stared down at his left hand. He held it in his right to try and stop the trembling. He was sitting on his bed next to the wall of his chamber. A fresh breeze drifted in through the open window, making a light whooshing sound as it passed by the white curtains. Moments before he had felt a massive amount of energy surge through him, taking him over. He felt like he had said something, in fact he remembered doing so. Only the words hadn't come out of his mouth. And they weren't his words.

He slumped against the wall, curled up with his face buried in his arms.

'Master Garkan was wrong,' he thought. 'I am a freak.'

Tears began to build in his eyes.

'What the hell is wrong with me?'

He started to quietly sob.

"No," he said aloud, sniffing. "I won't just sit here and cry. I've got to do something."

Sonam unravelled himself and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

'But what should I do?' he asked himself in his mind. 'I should tell somebody.'

He clicked the fingers on his right hand.

"Garkan!" he exclaimed.

Naoaka and the elder who had cut her walked steadily down the brightly lit corridor. On their right the plain white wall was broken by the occasional passageway or office door. To their left, the wall extended to around waist height and then a colonnade supported the roof. The sunlight drifted in along with the sent of flowers from the plants that populated the courtyard outside. A small bird flew into the building three metres in front of them. It perched itself on the rim of an unlit brazier and chirped softly.

"What do you do when it rains?" asked Naoaka as the bird flew back outside.

"I see you haven't noticed the shutters on the ceiling," the monk replied.

"Ah," she said quickly, looking up at the wooden devices.

More chirps could now be heard from outside the temple.

"So," she continued, "you said you believe one of your monks found who we're looking for?"

"Yes. Master Garkan sent one of the boys to me with a message. Sonam felt a massive pulse of spiritual energy. I highly doubt it's anything else."

"So why couldn't Garkan come himself, Master Chodrak?"

"He's still comforting the child, I presume."

"I see," Naoaka said slowly. "So, tell me about this Sonam."

"When he was an infant, he was given to the air temple, as all children identified as air benders are. Now usually-"

"Wait," she interrupted. "You're saying that if a child is an air bender, which all Air Nomad children are, the parents are forced to give up their son or daughter to the temples?"

Chodrak looked thoughtful for a moment before responding.

"Yes, but you must understand that air benders are the strongest connection our people have to the spirit world and as such they should be trained in a way that reflects this. If the law is broken, then you are not considered a true Air Nomad any more. However, it is not as harsh as it first appears. For one thing, their parents can visit the temple if they have a Flying Bison, and the children are allowed to go on many visits across the world every year, so they can meet up with their parents."

"How do they know who their parents are?"

"This is what I was going to tell you. Usually when a child is given to a temple, we meet with the parents and collect all their details. Their names, their nomad clan and so forth. Sonam, on the other hand, was simply dropped off at the door with a note."

"What did it say?"

"Family name: Da-Seng. Take care of our child."

"Wait, if all Air Nomad children are air benders, then why are there some Air Nomads who don't have this ability?"

"A common misconception people have is that all those who travel with the clans are actually Air Nomads. This is false. Many of those who travel with the clans are merely other nomads who...tag along. Eventually, however, once the clan elders deem them fit, these others can be inducted into the clan and henceforth the nation of the Air Nomads."

Chodrak paused for a moment.

"Surely you would know more about this," he continued. "You are the Avatar's daughter, after all, and you traveled the world for fourteen years."

"My father rarely talked about his training with the other nations," Naoaka said quietly. "And while I searched for the Avatar I didn't really have time to ask cultural questions, especially of the Air Nomads. I probably talked to your people the least of all during my search."

"I see," said Chodrak softly.

"Da-Seng is a name of the northern Earth Realms," Naoaka inquired "Didn't you suspect that something was amiss?"

"We have a boy here called Zenji Sasaki."

"Sasaki's a name of the Dragon Republic."

"Yes, his father was a fire bender, in fact. But his mother was an air bender. So it is not unheard of for people with names of different backgrounds to be present here."

"But wait, if all air benders are taken to the temples, why are there any air benders living outside them?"

"Most of them did live at the Temples." Chodrak smiled. "When a monk or nun becomes sixteen, he is no longer required to do so. As such, they are free to travel the world with the nomads once more. When they get older, many of the air benders return to teach the next generation. Haven't you ever wondered why the only people you see here are boys and old men?"

Naoaka considered what the old man had told her.

"You said most of them. What about the others"

The monk's smile faded.

"Although it is forbidden, some Nomads choose not to deliver their children to us, if they can bend. Normally, this number has been insignificant. In recent years, however, more and more people are deciding to break the sacred traditions of our culture, and it seems that they may be collecting together as some sort of anti-temple movement."

"I assume you mean Borkai's Army."

Chodrak raised his eyebrows.

"What do you know of them?" he asked.

"I know they're feared by every town in the Eastern Earth Realms with less than one hundred troops stationed there."

"Borkai and his warriors have defied all of the laws of our people. air benders must be taught at the Temples. Always evade or try to peacefully settle conflict. And never kill unless absolutely necessary."

"Well, he's done enough killing for every Air Nomad on the planet. I went past a town he raided in the Earth Realms. It looked like a tornado filled with arrows had torn through that place."

Chodrak sighed.

"Yes," he said. "It is a sad time for our people."

They walked in silence for a few more paces until the old monk stopped.

"We're here," said Chodrak.

They had come to a wooden door on the right wall of the corridor. Around three quarters of the way up there was a circular hole about as wide as a man's forearm is long. Across it was a grid of bamboo stems.

Naoaka looked through it for a moment. She could see a desk, with two chairs in front of it, turned to face each other. On one sat a bald elderly monk, and on the other was a teenage boy with the same hairstyle as his the older companion, though he was missing the arrow tattoos. The two of them were obviously talking, but too softly for Naoaka to hear.

"Poor child," she said. "I might not know much about the world's problems, but I know it's got plenty of them."

"How far ahead of the Legion are you?" the councillor asked.

"Three days, four at the most."

"Should we prepare to evacuate the Temple?"

Naoaka shook her head.

"There's no need," she said quietly, but firmly. "They'll know he's not here when they're close enough, and there's no point raiding a temple full of air benders if he's gone."

"They might think we have information on his whereabouts."

"True," she said, turning to face Chodrak, "but they'll have no need of it. They can track him well enough on their own."

"How?"

"They've got someone working for them who can sense his presence."

"Who?"

"I don't know. All I know is that she's told them he's here."

The Avatar's daughter looked through the grid once more.

"I think it's time we told him," she stated.

"I'll go in first," replied Chodrak.

Naoaka nodded as the old monk opened the door.

Sonam and Garkan turned to face the new arrivals. The boy stood up.

"Master Chodrak," he said while bowing his head for a moment.

"Sonam, there is someone here to see you," the master replied as Naoaka stepped into view.

"This is Naoaka," he continued, "of the southern water tribe."

"Nice to meet you," said Sonam, bowing to her.

"You too," she replied.

"Naoaka is Avatar Suyeka's daughter," Chodrak explained.

"Please, take a seat," said Garkan, pointing to a stack of chairs that were not visible through the door.

Naoaka took two of the seats from the stack and placed them so that their backs were facing the door. She and Chodrak sat down on them while Sonam returned to his seat.

"Sonam," asked Naoaka softly. "Did you feel something just now? Like a…a great flood of energy."

The boy nodded.

The young woman sighed.

"Sonam, I'm going to tell you something in a moment and it's going to be quite a shock. It may sound like nonsense, but trust me, okay?"

He nodded again.

"Have you ever felt different? A little… out of place here?"

"Yes."

"In what ways?"

The child looked at Garkan, who smiled.

"I don't enjoy the same things the other kids do," said Sonam. "They like being all free and energetic, but I'm just not like that."

He paused.

"Go on," encouraged Chodrak.

"And... erm… I struggle with different things than them. They always have to really focus to be able to do the same thing for a long time, but I always want to finish one thing before I do another. Even if it means spending too long on that thing. And they… they seem to be able to fly around really easily and avoid objects being thrown at them, but I don't. I always want to stop whatever's coming at me and make it move out of the way and not the other way round."

Naoaka sighed again.

"Okay," she began. "Sonam, these are all traits that an earth bender would have. They're strong and enduring and they like to face things head-on. And there's a reason why you have this sort of attitude, but you can still bend air. There's only one person in the world that can master more than one element. And he's sitting here, right in front of me."

Sonam's eyes widened.

"That's why you've always felt special," said Naoaka. "Sonam, you are the Avatar."

The look on the teenager's face was one of utter shock, mixed with sadness and a hint of anger.

"How have I not known about this?" he asked desperately. "Avatar Suyeka accidentally bent earth when he was eight!"

"It varies from Avatar to Avatar," Chodrak explained. "Some discover it accidentally, some never realise until they are told."

"This couldn't wait two more years?" asked Garkan sharply.

"Master," Naoaka said to him. "It's obvious you care for the boy, but we're doing this for his own protection. The Legion of Whispers is heading for this Temple and if we don't move him he could end up…"

She stopped herself and looked at Sonam briefly.

"In their hands," she concluded.

"And I suppose you think he's better travelling with you than in a Temple guarded by hundreds of air benders, including dozens of masters!" Garkan snapped

"Yes," she replied swiftly. "The Legion has spies and influences everywhere. You think they couldn't hire some mercenaries and storm this Temple once they knew he was here?"

Sonam got up and charged out of the room, slamming the door on his way out.

There was a long pause before the next person spoke.

"I'll go after him," said Naoaka.

She got up and was about to walk out when Garkan spoke again.

"Third corridor on your right," he began. Sixth room. That's his chamber."

"Thanks," she said quietly before leaving the room.

After the door closed, Garkan turned towards Chodrak.

"Do you think this is wise?" he asked.

"Do we have a choice? If the Avatar remains in one place for too long, the Legion is bound to find him."

"What about her?" he continued. "Do you think she knows what she's doing?"

"She's been tracking him across the Earth realms for fourteen years; I think that means she's qualified."

"Does it? Let's look at it another way, she's failed to find him for that long."

"The Earth Realms are pretty big, remember."

"Yes, but are they fourteen years big?"

Naoaka walked down the slightly dimmer hallway to Sonam's room. From outside she could still faintly hear the birdsong. She came to the Avatar's room and knocked on the door. Unlike the one of Garkan's office, you couldn't see in from outside.

"Sonam?" she called. "Can I come in?"

"No," he replied sternly.

She sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry things got a little heated in there, but you have to understand that this is important."

"I know it's important, I'm not stupid. Do you think I would be like this if it wasn't important?"

"No, I suppose not."

Naoaka turned round, leaning her back against the wall next to the door. She thought for a moment.

"Sonam," she said, "you have a right to be upset. Everyone always says how it must be a great honour to be the Avatar. How amazing it must be to have all that power. They never talk about the darker side. The weight of the world is on the Avatar's shoulder's which means that you have to leave your own world behind. It's one of the hardest things you'll have to do because no matter how troubled it is, it's still where you belong. And I understand that it kills you inside knowing that you have to abandon this place, because I saw how it killed my father every time he left our village. He left because he had to try and restore the peace, but your reason is different. And it's more immediate. I hate to say this Sonam, but if we don't leave you put everyone in this temple at risk."

The door opened slowly.

"So that's who I am?" he asked quietly. "I'm not the world's saviour; I'm just some guy who'll bring trouble wherever he goes."

"No Sonam," she continued. "You are the world's saviour. You have the power to stop the Legion of Whispers and the War of the Earth Realms and everything else."

"And if I fail?"

"You won't fail."

"How do you know?"

There was an awkward, fearful pause that struck them for a few seconds before Sonam spoke again.

"I'll get my things and we'll head to my Sky Bison," he said quickly.


End file.
